Changes in Store For Rays for 2014

By DICK SCANLONLEDGER CORRESPONDENT

Published: Wednesday, October 9, 2013 at 12:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, October 10, 2013 at 12:00 a.m.

ST. PETERSBURG | Early returns suggest that nationally, at least, the Rays' postseason performance will be remembered mostly for Wil Myers' warning-track meltdown at Fenway Park in Game 1, and for some kind of Twitter tantrum David Price had after losing Game 2.

That's a shame, especially since it may have been Price's last game for the Rays, according to the buzz after their elimination Tuesday night. The 28-year-old left-hander is eligible for two more years of arbitration, which means he is likely to get a considerable raise from his salary of $10 million in 2013, which translates to $1 million per win. That's a little steep for the Rays, who will be spending some time in the next couple of months deciding when, not if, it will make sense to move Price.

This is not necessarily the impending disaster many people (including some Rays players) assume it to be. It will depend, of course, on what the Rays can get in a trade for Price.

They got Myers in a trade for James Shields a year ago and as painful as that was, most Rays fans would probably do it again, even if Myers had a terrible playoff series against Boston.

"I didn't get anything done. I think I had one hit in 16 at bats," Myers acknowledged. "I didn't come up big at all and it's definitely tough to go out like this, but I think this postseason was a good learning tool for me."

He's 22 and he is going to have plenty of opportunities to make up for it, though it cannot be assumed he will be back in the postseason anytime soon.

The Rays have been in the playoffs in four of the last six years, and too much is being made of their failure to get beyond the first round three straight times.

Nobody will say this because they all have eyes on the biggest prize, but in baseball, if you play in the postseason, that means your season has been a success.

"I feel like once you get in the playoffs, it's a crapshoot," Sam Fuld said. "It's unfortunate that we've been eliminated three of the last four years in the division series, but I think we were as prepared to win a World Series any of those years as anybody else.

"You play in such a small series, anything can happen. It's just the way the playoffs are. Our goal is to get to the playoffs, and then you assume that if you're good enough to get to the playoffs, you can go all the way."

Once you get to October, there might be another playoff team that's better, hotter, healthier, luckier or some combination of the above. This time it was the Red Sox.

"They ended up being the better team, but we definitely had them on the ropes there for a little bit," David DeJesus said. "Their top of the lineup beat us, those top four guys. They were tough. That's why they're a great team, and they might win the World Series."

Next year the Red Sox will probably be much the same. The Rays, with or without Price, are going to be different. They will almost certainly have a different first baseman and a different catcher.

Asked about the possibility of returning to the Rays as a free agent, this was James Loney's response early Wednesday morning: "It's an open possibility. We'll see what happens and go from there."

Translation: They have my agent's number.

Loney had a very good year, at bat and at first base. He might even win a Gold Glove. But he will be 30 in May, and he has never hit 16 home runs in a season. It's hard to imagine the Rays outbidding every other team on a three-year contract offer.

Catcher has been a problem for a long time for the Rays. Switch-hitting Jose Lobaton is at least an offensive threat. Jose Molina has been a noble soldier, but he is 38 and his legs are shot. Apparently no catcher in the minor league system is ready.

As the lights go out on another season at the Trop, it appears that the Rays' best chance to get past the first round is to upgrade that critical position.

<p>ST. PETERSBURG | Early returns suggest that nationally, at least, the Rays' postseason performance will be remembered mostly for Wil Myers' warning-track meltdown at Fenway Park in Game 1, and for some kind of Twitter tantrum David Price had after losing Game 2.</p><p>That's a shame, especially since it may have been Price's last game for the Rays, according to the buzz after their elimination Tuesday night. The 28-year-old left-hander is eligible for two more years of arbitration, which means he is likely to get a considerable raise from his salary of $10 million in 2013, which translates to $1 million per win. That's a little steep for the Rays, who will be spending some time in the next couple of months deciding when, not if, it will make sense to move Price.</p><p>This is not necessarily the impending disaster many people (including some Rays players) assume it to be. It will depend, of course, on what the Rays can get in a trade for Price.</p><p>They got Myers in a trade for James Shields a year ago and as painful as that was, most Rays fans would probably do it again, even if Myers had a terrible playoff series against Boston.</p><p>"I didn't get anything done. I think I had one hit in 16 at bats," Myers acknowledged. "I didn't come up big at all and it's definitely tough to go out like this, but I think this postseason was a good learning tool for me."</p><p>He's 22 and he is going to have plenty of opportunities to make up for it, though it cannot be assumed he will be back in the postseason anytime soon.</p><p>The Rays have been in the playoffs in four of the last six years, and too much is being made of their failure to get beyond the first round three straight times.</p><p>Nobody will say this because they all have eyes on the biggest prize, but in baseball, if you play in the postseason, that means your season has been a success.</p><p>"I feel like once you get in the playoffs, it's a crapshoot," Sam Fuld said. "It's unfortunate that we've been eliminated three of the last four years in the division series, but I think we were as prepared to win a World Series any of those years as anybody else.</p><p>"You play in such a small series, anything can happen. It's just the way the playoffs are. Our goal is to get to the playoffs, and then you assume that if you're good enough to get to the playoffs, you can go all the way."</p><p>Once you get to October, there might be another playoff team that's better, hotter, healthier, luckier or some combination of the above. This time it was the Red Sox.</p><p>"They ended up being the better team, but we definitely had them on the ropes there for a little bit," David DeJesus said. "Their top of the lineup beat us, those top four guys. They were tough. That's why they're a great team, and they might win the World Series."</p><p>Next year the Red Sox will probably be much the same. The Rays, with or without Price, are going to be different. They will almost certainly have a different first baseman and a different catcher.</p><p>Asked about the possibility of returning to the Rays as a free agent, this was James Loney's response early Wednesday morning: "It's an open possibility. We'll see what happens and go from there."</p><p>Translation: They have my agent's number.</p><p>Loney had a very good year, at bat and at first base. He might even win a Gold Glove. But he will be 30 in May, and he has never hit 16 home runs in a season. It's hard to imagine the Rays outbidding every other team on a three-year contract offer.</p><p>Catcher has been a problem for a long time for the Rays. Switch-hitting Jose Lobaton is at least an offensive threat. Jose Molina has been a noble soldier, but he is 38 and his legs are shot. Apparently no catcher in the minor league system is ready.</p><p>As the lights go out on another season at the Trop, it appears that the Rays' best chance to get past the first round is to upgrade that critical position.</p>